Until the Wind Dies
by purplehazeskies
Summary: After a frustrating argument, Law and Nami wake up to find themselves trapped on an eerie island with the rest of the crew nowhere in sight. Their first order of business is to find their friends; but the situation they've stumbled into is far more dark and complicated than they ever could have imagined. Rated M for LawNa, language, and graphic violence.
1. Chapter 1

That afternoon on the Thousand Sunny was an enjoyable one, as far as strife-less days went. The sunlight was warm, the marines were nowhere in sight, and everyone had found something to keep themselves productive. Law was almost impressed with how seamlessly the ship seemed to function, especially with a crew as small as theirs. It was sort of inspirational in a way, being surrounded by people who all worked so hard and had so much energy. He didn't mind helping them out much, either; when fish needed to be caught, or clothes needed to be hung to dry, they asked him for an extra hand. In return, he just asked that they leave him out of their mindless games. It never really stopped Luffy from asking him anyway, but the younger captain would always accept his refusal eventually.

So Law stood by himself, wandering the deck aimlessly as the boys played some variety of Capture the Flag. Just because he refused their invitation didn't necessarily mean he had anything interesting to do, but he pretended he did. He'd polish his blade, or rub the dirt out of his hat, anything to look busy; to look aloof, like always.

But Luffy never left him alone for long. "Hey, Tra-guy!" He called, flinging himself into the swordsman's path with an excited smile. "We heard that Nami wanted to see you right away!"

"...Why?" Well, that was a first. He'd been getting along fairly well with Nami as of late, perhaps even the most so out of everyone, but all of their chatting had been on the fly. Always about the weather, or their chores, never anything important. She'd never really needed him for anything in the past, but he supposed there was a first time for everything.

"She needs a favor," Usopp cut in, appearing beside the two of them with an equally questionable, stupid-looking smile. "Pretty sure she's hanging out in the girls' room."

Law stared at them for a moment, studying their expressions before letting out a light sigh. They were up to something, very obviously, but he wasn't in the mood to press for details. How bad could it be? He could play along, at least this once. "Alright." He replied, shifting to the left to pass them. Her room was only a few paces away, so he made it to the door before anyone could say anything else.

"Nami-ya, what was it that you wanted?" Law peered in, eyes scanning the room with mild curiosity. It was surprisingly very well-furnished; the room was spotless, save for the stacks of books on practically every available surface. His ship had no need for a women's quarters, so having the chance to see one was at least somewhat interesting… until his eyes settled on her figure. Then suddenly, the meddlesome grins on conniving duo's faces made perfect sense.

"What the hell are you doing?! Why didn't you knock?!" Nami screamed, yanking the sheet from her bed to cover her body.

"Nose-ya and Strawhat-ya told me you needed to see me! Why are you naked?" It was a set up. Of course it was. What else could he have possibly expected out of those two?

"Well, they lied! I'm changing, you halfwit; get the hell out of here!"

"I know that! Don't you fucking order me around!" he snapped, tugging his hat down to cover his eyes.

"Just get out, already!" Nami picked up the pillow from her bed and hurled it at him as he stumbled back through the door and onto the deck. As his back made contact with the grassy lawn, and the pillow landed straight on his face, Law froze for a moment or two. Nami slammed the door shut after him, yelling something about him being too slow.

He wasn't necessarily mortified, no, but he was by no means unphased. Shocked and flustered were more accurate; emotions that didn't sit well with him at all. So he laid there for a while on his back, letting his mind reset into a state of stoic ire before sitting up with the pillow clutched in one hand.

"You assholes. I swear one day I'll eradicate you both." he growled, glaring daggers into the boys laughing hysterically on the floor.

"S-sorry, we were kidding," Usopp grinned, finally catching his breath. "Consider it your crew initiation."

"I can't believe she didn't punch him!" Luffy huffed, kicking his heel on the deck in mock anger. "Lame."

Frustrated, he shoved his face back into the pillow to hide the tint on his cheeks, sighing heavily to keep from going completely off the deep-end. When he noticed how much the pillow smelled like the navigator who'd thrown it at him, however, it did nothing to help the redness on his face. So he kept it there, and stayed seated on the ground for a while longer.

That night at dinner was, unsurprisingly, a very difficult one for Law.

"How can I be sure you didn't poison this?" he asked Sanji, as the other seemed to be exuding flames of fury from his body.

"Just be happy I'm feeding you at all, you rotten piece of shit." He seemed to be taking out his anger by violently cleaning dishes; decidedly the least destructive way to vent his… Law didn't even know what it was. Disgust? Envy? Most likely the latter, though he wasn't terribly interested in prodding to find out.

"Maybe it should be poisoned." the navigator grumbled quietly to herself, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'd taste it for you, but unfortunately… I don't have any taste buds! YOHOHOHO!"

"...I'm going to bed," Nami stood from her chair, giving Law a mixed look before heading for the door. Sanji whined something about her not getting proper nutrition, something about keeping her body in good shape, but she was having none of it.

"I'll speak with her later…" Robin reassured them, taking a sip from her drink nonchalantly.

"Boy, Nami's still not over that joke, huh?" Usopp rested his chin in his hands. "I feel kind of bad, now."

"You should." Zoro snorted, arms folded behind his head in explicit indifference. "This stupid fuss is your fault."

"Just let her sleep it off," Franky patted Law's back vigorously, flashing a knowing smile. "The girly's probably just embarrassed, you know?"

"...Hm."

The rest of the dinner went on as normal; fights broke out over food, half a dozen drinks were spilled, and Law could barely count on his fingers the number of times Luffy had laughed so hard he choked on something. A handful of times he'd caught the guys giving him a look like they felt sorry for him, or like they wanted to offer him some sagely advice about women to help him out of his rut. But it's not easy to give advice on a subject you know absolutely nothing about, and these men weren't exactly smooth operators.

The boys stayed up for a while past dinner, playing some sort of ridiculous game of super-human tag in the dark, but Robin had retired to the girls' quarters early. He had half a mind to send Robin in with a message from him, an apology, but he knew that wouldn't work to his benefit. What would happen after Nami got the message? Either she would forgive him and have trouble finding the right time to bring it up, or she wouldn't forgive him and he would never know. Or, Robin wouldn't tell her anything at all, and he'd spend the next few days waiting for a conversation that would never come. No, none of those outcomes seemed favorable in the slightest. Waiting until morning was definitely his best option.

As the others eventually went back to their quarters, he continued to sit on the deck outside with a coat over his shoulders. He didn't really need it; even with the sun down it was still warm outside, but Chopper had insisted that he kept it around, in case the temperature dropped in the night. Law was almost sure there was no danger of that happening, but the only one on the ship with the authority to predict the weather wasn't exactly available for questioning. So as the night went on, he was left alone with only his thoughts until the lull of the ocean finally put him to sleep.

In the girls' quarters, Nami let out a huge sigh and buried her face in her pillow.

"Robin, do you think this is stupid?"

"Whatever do you mean?" The older woman chimed, thumbing idly through her book.

"You know what I'm talking about… I mean, shouldn't he have apologized by now?"

"Maybe he isn't sure how to," she replied with a small smile. "Men are silly creatures, Nami."

She couldn't deny that. After their years of adventuring, the two of them knew that more than anyone. But that fact alone certainly wasn't enough to put her at ease. "...Did he say anything after I left?"

"Mm, he was very quiet."

Nami let out an exasperated groan and flopped back on her bed. "You think there's any chance I might be the one in the wrong, here?"

"Do you think so?"

"Maybe…" She curled up on her side with her pillow hugged to her frame. "He's not like the others, he wouldn't walk in on me on purpose, right? Maybe it really was just an accident."

"That's certainly a possibility," Robin set her book down gently, flipping off the light switch with her free hand. "I think it would be best if you spoke to him in the morning."

"Okay…"

"...Good night, Nami."

"G'night, Robin," Nami sighed, stuffing her face back into the pillow. Before drifting to sleep, she noted tiredly that the pillowcase somehow managed to still hold Law's scent. "Damn it, he only had this thing for like an hour…" She cursed silently to herself as her cheeks flushed, getting flustered all over again as she slipping into unconsciousness.

"My head hurts…" Nami grumbled, wincing as the harsh sunlight beat down on her eyes. "Like someone replaced my bed with bricks. Ugh..."

"Ah, you're awake. Are you alright? I tried to wake you, but you were out cold."

Silence. She knew that voice. Her eyes snapped open and she shoved herself up to a sitting position. "What are you doing in my-" She paused. Eyes finally adjusting to mind-numbingly bright light, her jaw dropped slightly. Water was a common sight on the sea, naturally. The sand surrounding her on all sides, however, was not. "We're not… on the Sunny."

"No, we're not. You said you head hurts? What kind of pain is it?" Law shifted over to her with a concerned expression.

"I'm fine! Just tell me where we are!"

"...We're in Rogue's Keep. An island off the coast of Wano Country."

"What?!" Nami cried, looking around frantically. "How is that possible? We shouldn't be anywhere near here! And where the hell is the ship?!"

"...Your guess is as good as mine." He sighed, and took as step forward. "You're certain you're fine? You could have a concussion."

"I said I'm fine," she turned to him with a nasty glare. "You did this, didn't you? Take me back to my crew!"

He paused for a moment, absorbing her animosity in silence. Getting into another fight wasn't exactly the way he'd been hoping their day would start. "...You really think this is my fault?"

Nami flinched. So much for apologizing "in the morning".

No, of course she didn't really think that. What motive could he possibly have for stealing her away to some island just to sit around awkwardly on the beach? Obviously there was something else going on here, and antagonizing him wasn't the way to figure it out. "I just… don't know what's going on. Where is everyone?"

"No clue. I was planning on looking for them once you came to."

"...Then, we should go." Nami said meekly, staggering to her feet. Her body was sore all over, like she'd been roughed up pretty badly during the night, but she stayed quiet about it. What would Law think of her if she told him she was fine, then immediately complained about some mild pain? She'd ignore it, as long as it meant they might be able to restore some semblance of friendship in the near future.

"Let's head into town. This island is small, so it shouldn't be hard to find the others if they're around." So much for burying the hatchet, he thought, glancing over his shoulder at the woman behind him. His frown softened a bit when he saw how guilty she looked, and he mentally kicked himself for being so cold.

Nami paused for a moment, looking ahead at their destination. If the others were awake, surely they were searching for her and Law. Wouldn't it be best to stay in one place? But was there any guarantee that they were even here? As much as she hated to admit it, there was a very real possibility that they might not be anywhere nearby. And if they weren't on the island at all, the two of them were trapped without a ship or any real supplies. They only had themselves, and… a backpack? She leaned down to study the object at her feet. It was full to bursting with charting and surveying supplies. Her favorite notebook was placed neatly on top, tied across the middle with a ribbon to keep a pen attached. Some of the supplies were from her study, but there were a few things she'd never seen before, as well. "I'm guessing you didn't do this, either…" She glanced up at Law, who shook his head with small frown. Another unsettling mystery; Nami picked it up reluctantly. She was a bit troubled by it's presence, but it was still mostly her belongings; she couldn't just leave it there. But before she could heave it over her back, Law took it out of her hands.

"I'll hold it," he started, slinging the bag over one shoulder. "...It's kind of suspicious, that's all."

For the first time that morning, Nami felt a bit at ease in Law's proximity. Perhaps searching for her crew alongside him wouldn't be the worst situation in the world. So, without any objections, she followed behind him silently as they made their way off of the beach, and into the desolate island town before them.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Heheh, I have about 20 pages of this thing written out and it's still just barely about a quarter of the way finished. But since the next part needs some major polishing, I'm still working on it. I wanted to get the first part up and out there, so that I don't lose interest and give up. Hopefully this bit isn't terribly rushed; it was actually the last part I wrote to date. (I've been working backwards, since I initially really wanted to write the middle.) The real beef of the story starts in a bit, though! Wish me luck!


	2. Chapter 2

I did it! Chapter two is finally done! I spent three months trying to piece this gargantuan together. It's changed so much from my original image that I almost can't believe I didn't drop it. I guess I'm just really attached to this story. So we're in it for the long haul! But let's get right to it; first, the responses!

hanasho: Thank you. :D Usopp and Luffy were kind of mean, huh? I'm sure they meant well, but they certainly caused a lot of trouble… hopefully they'll be able to make up for it by the time the story is over.  
ErzaDreyar: Thanks! Law is pretty easy to write when he's in an uncomfortable situation, but I'm starting to realize that he's really hard to write when he's not upset about anything. o_o; Makes me wanna cause more trouble for him, just to make my life easier…  
IMKRYSTAL: Robin is a pretty good guess! I think the situation will become clear very soon… though a lot more questions will probably come up in it's place.  
namina88: I wish I'd updated sooner, I've been slaving over this part for ages. ;_; Sorry it took so long.  
Vt: Ask and ye shall receive!  
A Lucent Silhouette: Yeah, you're definitely right about that. There's going to be a whooole lot of trouble, though I don't want to give much away too soon. Thanks for the support!

Alright, time to get started with the real story. Enjoy!

* * *

"How did you know the name of this place..? Did you do some exploring while I was asleep?" She asked hesitantly, keeping some distance between them as they walked.

"No," he kept his eyes steadily on the road. "I didn't leave your side... I've just been to this place once before. With my own crew. Wasn't too long ago."

"Oh, um… well, that makes sense. Thanks for sticking around, I guess." She clutched the notebook that had been on top of her backpack tightly in her hands. Discomfort between the two of them was reaching critical mass; Nami silently praying that someone, anyone at all, would show up soon and rescue her from their awkward predicament. Of course, she knew that probably wasn't going to happen. They had no choice but to press onward.

They walked together a few paces apart, up and down the lifeless cobblestone street; the sun beat down on their backs, unrelenting as the morning dragged on. If Nami were any more pessimistic, she would have assumed that they were actually quite literally all alone. There really wasn't any evidence that anyone still inhabited the island they found themselves on; the buildings were a wreck, the grass was severely overgrown, and the air was so stagnant that it felt like she was breathing dust.

"...Are you sure this place isn't completely abandoned?" Nami finally said after what felt like hours, hanging her head in defeat as she slumped against the brick wall labelled "Infirmary". It towered over her, leaning slightly, threatening to topple in an avalanche of shale and clay at any moment. Frankly, the entire town around them seemed to be standing on it's last legs, and Nami wondered briefly if they were actually in any danger of a cave-in. It didn't really feel like it was all that unlikely, all things considered."This search is starting to feel like a huge waste of time."

"Well, what else do you propose we do?"

Nami said nothing, running her hand through her hair with a stressed sigh. Of course she didn't have a good answer; there wasn't one. Wandering around in search of people was all they could do, and she knew it. "Don't you know of anywhere around here that's more… well, populated?"

"Actually-"

From inside the building behind them there was a loud bang, and Nami jumped to her feet with a squeak.

"For fuck's sake, man, hold still!" A rugged voice shouted from beyond the crumbling wall, followed by more clattering and banging.

"God, it hurts!"

"If you move one more time I swear I'll cut your whole damn leg off, got it?!"

Nami and Law stared at each other puzzledly, listening in silence as the screams continued. So the place wasn't completely abandoned after all.

"Should we go in..?" She whispered under her breath, gesturing towards the door.

Law gave her an incredulous look. "Seriously? Didn't you hear all of that?"

"But they might be able to help us!"

He paused for a moment, lips pursing a bit as he studied her face. "You know, I'm starting to understand why everyone says you're so danger-prone."

"What? You're a doctor, you shouldn't be scared of walking into a stupid little clinic."

"I'm not scared! It's just..." he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "We should just come back later. When the situation is less-" as if on cue, he was cut off by a strangled scream from beyond the doors. "...dramatic."

"But they might be gone by then!" Nami griped, folding her arms over her chest. "This could be our only chance."

"...Fine, whatever. But you better stay behind me, got it?"

She rolled her eyes in response, and he unenthusiastically shoved open the creaky wooden door.

The two of them were immediately bombarded with the foul stench of blood and decay, and something else… an unsettling mixture of sharp chemical scents hung in the air. The interior was very white, but not a clean white; whoever tended the building obviously wasn't concerned with appearances. The layer of dust on the desk nearest the door was practically a half inch thick. There was a painting on the wall by the door, but the cobwebs adorning it from corner to corner made it almost impossible to make out. Beyond the single decoration, the entryway was almost unsettlingly bare.

"Hello?" Nami called out. There was a pause in the clamoring in the next room over.

"Who's here?!" The angrier of the two voices snapped. "Are you dying, or what?!"

"Well, not exactly," Nami called back, "But I need your help!"

"I only deal with the injured, lady, so either slice your arm off or come back with someone who really needs me."

Law grabbed her arm gently, tugging her back. "Come on, this man is obviously preoccupied."

"Please," disregarding her companion, she hesitantly rounded the corner to what she assumed was the operating room, avoiding a gap in the shoddy wooden floorboards as she went. "I only need to ask you a few questions."

There was a long pause. "Huh. Wasn't expecting you'd be hot."

The younger man on the table squirmed, grabbing at his bloodied leg in agony. "Would you at least finished what you started, old man?!"

The wrinkled, sturdy figure in the white lab coat snorted and stabbed a syringe into the man's arm. The patient was instantaneously out like a light.

"Make no mistake, lady, I don't get tied up with the living. Or even mostly-living, usually." He gave her a dismal look, then turned his eyes back to the knocked-out patient on the table. "Whatever it is you need, you're not going to find it here. Leave."

Nami was silent for a moment, rolling his words around in her head for a moment. Mostly-living? The phrasing was questionable, but he seemed serious. For whatever reason, they really weren't welcome. "Are you sure-"

"I said leave!"

"...Do you at least have any advice for some out of town visitors? Anything at all?"

"Yeah, I do," his rough voice was firm, and his dried-out eyes seemed to sharpen as he polished the metal tool in his hand. "Get the hell out of my clinic, and get the hell off of this island before tomorrow. And if you want to live, don't ever come back."

"...Got it. Sorry to bother you." She nodded, then spun on her heels back towards Law, who stood with a knowing smirk and his hands shoved in his pockets . They stayed silent until the door squeaked to a close and clicked shut behind them.

"You were right." Nami grumbled, eyes glued on the dying grass under her feet to avoid acknowledging Law's smug expression.

"Eh, I was expecting a lot worse than that. So it was a mild success, at least." he shrugged.

"If not getting stabbed is a sign of success, I don't think I want to even bother trying anymore." With a defeated sigh, she slumped to the ground. Whatever was left of her optimism was gone; all that was left was bitterness and fatigue.

There was a pause, and Law let out a short sigh. "...Listen, I know of a place on the eastern side of the island that you might be interested in. If you want to go, it's not all that far from here."

"...Really?"

"I mean, you've been surveying the area all day, right?"

"Erm, yeah?" Nami nodded, glancing down at the notebook she'd been holding in her hands as they'd wandered. The pages were plastered with tidy notes and outlines of the land that they'd covered. She'd noted streets, buildings, rising and falling slopes of the land, anything she could document in order to take her mind off of their crisis. "Why?"

"I'm no cartographer, but I think you might… er, like it."

"Well, I suppose a short break in the search won't hurt us any," she nodded sagely, and gave him a small smile. He was trying to be friendly, so the least she could do was act more agreeable. "So, um… lead the way, I guess?"

He nodded, mildly dazed by her change in demeanor; that smile had really taken him off-guard. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, being stuck alone with her. If only he could figure out how to bring up their previous impasse in a way that seemed even remotely natural. Then they'd be getting somewhere. But, as he was painfully aware, conflicts with women he was obligated to be friendly with were not his strong suit; really, any situation in which his usual cold-blooded attitude wouldn't cut it was tricky. And the last thing he wanted was to step on her toes even more than he already had.

He led her back through the empty streets, through the lush forest on the outskirts of the town. The trek took significantly longer than he'd expected; perhaps his memory had been hazier than he initially thought, because they'd definitely taken a few wrong turns. But when they finally made it there, they were met with a plain of lush, thick grass covered in patches of glimmering sand, and large sculpted rock masses as far as the eye could see.

"What is this place?" she beamed, thumbing through her sketchbook while her eyes scanned the scenery around them.

"Not sure. I just remembered it being here, and thought you might find it interesting."

"It's awesome," she swooned, feverishly drawing sketches with rough size markings along the side. "These are ventifacts, I've never seen them outside of the desert… This is so weird. How the hell did this happen..?"

"Weird?"

"Because rock formations like this are sculpted by sand in the air. But, you know, I haven't felt any wind all day… And even if there was any, this plain is covered in grass. There's barely any sand to do something like this."

"You're right, that is weird." He couldn't help but find it funny, how excited she was over something as mundane as a bunch of rocks; but that was pretty much the reaction he'd been hoping for. He'd really only ever seen her playing big sister to her crewmates, scolding them or trying to keep them out of trouble. He'd never really had the chance to see her, just being herself, without outside influences. And though he would never admit it out loud, she was pretty cute.

He slumped against a tree as she wandered back and forth, running her fingers along the shapes protruding from the ground. He watched her scribble notes excitedly, bending down every now and then to examine the grass. She looked pleased, for once. As her figure strayed further into the distance, his eyes slipped shut.

The next thing he knew, he could feel a hand on his shoulder and a light breath on his nose. "Hey, wake up," Nami huffed, shaking him lightly as his eyes readjusted to the light. "Don't just fall asleep in the middle of the day."

"Was I out for long?" He grumbled, stretching his arms with a short sigh.

"No," she leaned away, shaking her head as she reached for the backpack next to him. "Only a little bit. From a distance, it looked like you were dead… do you always sleep with your mouth open like that?"

"I do not sleep with my mouth open!" he snapped, reflexively tugging his hat down to cover his face. As she laughed, he could feel his cheeks burning.

"Just kidding."

He frowned, and peered at the backpack that had at some point returned to his side. "Are you finished here?"

"For now, at least."

"Alright. ...Was it of any use to you?"

"Well, I can't really put such small land masses on the maps that I usually draw... But this place brings up so many questions about this island's climate," she turned to Law with a bright smile. "It's so weird. I really want to know more about it. So yeah, it was very useful!"

Something in his chest twitched, and Law shifted his weight awkwardly from one side to the other. He felt relieved, happy even, though the reason why was a bit troubling. "...Well, we certainly have time to look into it if you want to."

"Yeah, but… we still haven't found the others yet."

"We'll ask around while we're searching; hit two birds with one stone. We can always come back if you want, too."

"Sounds good to me." There was the ever-present possibility that if they caught up to the others, trouble would follow and they would wind up having to run for their lives and never return to this place; but with the luck they'd been having so far in their search, she doubted that would happen any time soon. So they headed back to town, content to resume their search in comfortable silence.

A few hours of wandering the main streets and finding no leads later, Law and Nami found themselves back on the beach where they first woke up. They'd gained nothing of value but a few kind acquaintances and some food in their stomachs. When prompted with questions pertaining to her crew, everyone said the same thing; "Sorry, can't help you". And when Nami made small talk about the weather, the very few locals that they'd met simply shrugged and looked down to the ground. Strange things happen all the time, they'd say. Why pay attention to something you don't understand?

"Ugh, this sucks," Nami groaned, stopping for a moment to sit down on the sand. "I'm so tired."

"...Need me to carry you?" he smirked, kneeling down next to her.

She shook her head, kicking him in mock revulsion. "And let you touch me? Yeah, no chance."

Nami heard him laugh a bit under his breath, and he settled onto the ground next to her. There was a lengthy pause, and she realized that this moment was exactly the one she'd been waiting for all day. The air between them had been awkward since she'd woken up, and Nami decided that she'd had enough of beating around the bush. Before the smile on his face had the chance to fade back to his typical scowl, she stood to her feet with renewed vigor.

"Listen," she started, staring down at the ground with a rigid, anxious expression. "I'm sorry about yesterday! When I yelled at you on the ship, I mean. It was stupid."

Law was silent for a moment, staring at her with a blank look. "It wasn't stupid, and I'm not mad. Forget about it," another long pause. "...I just get pissed when people order me around, but you weren't wrong to do so, alright?"

"Well… you are a captain, so I guess that makes sense," she mused, slumping back onto the sand with a relieved sigh. "Just don't listen to those idiots again, okay?" The weight off of her shoulders felt immense. Almost right away, the distance between them seemed to shorten.

"Deal. Wasn't planning on it, anyways."

"Good. I mean, geez, I thought you were smarter than that… you have some redeeming to do."

He snorted in mock indignation, and they fell silent again, content to listen to the waves crash into the shore near their feet. Turning her gaze from her companion, Nami's eyes settled on the shadows extending from their bodies; they were getting longer, extending far off into the sand. She frowned, the realization of time gone by finally hitting her. The sun would be down in less than an hour, and they'd accomplished little to nothing; she was still separated from her crew. She still had no idea how they'd gotten to where they were, and she had absolutely no idea where they were going to go next, either. It was scary, as much as she didn't want to admit it.

"What's the matter now?"

"Oh, um…" She paused, running her finger idly through the sand at her side. "We're just running out of daylight, that's all."

"...Hm. You know, we've been at it for a long time. How about a few drinks on me to let off some steam?"

"Really? That… actually sounds pretty great!" Nami's eyes lit up at the mention of free booze, and she turned to face him directly. "Perhaps you're more of a gentleman than I initially gave you credit for. "

"No, I'm definitely a complete degenerate," he shook his head, extending a hand to help her up. "I'm just thirsty. So let's go already. The sunset is making my eyes hurt."

Finding the bar Law had in mind based on memory alone had taken a bit longer than they'd expected. He'd only gone there once, and his crew had stumbled upon it in broad daylight during his first visit. The town looked a lot different at night; with low streetlights illuminating most of the road, the buildings looked taller and longer. It could have been mistaken for a completely different place to the untrained eye. Still, Nami had no trouble pointing out landmarks that they'd passed earlier in the day. About half an hour after their trek began, they stood outside of a wooden storefront labelled 'The Rich Minister'. The name was awfully ironic, for such a run-down place.

When they opened the door, they were met with an explosive roar of intoxicated pirates and bandits alike, unintelligible chants spilling out the front door into the empty street behind them. It was, by a huge margin, the largest group of people they'd seen all day. As they took a step in, a shabby-looking dagger flew past them and into the wall a few inches from the door. Law peered over at Nami, half expecting her to bolt in the direction they came in, but to his surprise she looked unphased; completely and utterly devoid of giving a shit.

"Nice taste in bars you have, there."

"Believe it or not, this is the only one I know of that's actually functioning." he replied dryly, taking her hand as they wandered to the back. Nami was going to object, but as she noticed the patrons around them leering at her she figured it wouldn't hurt to keep her hand in his. Only for the sake of intimidation, of course.

As they approached the wooden counter, a short boy with unkempt hair and a fidgety demeanor bowed to them. "Hi, uh, welcome," his hands shook a bit as he spoke. "C-can I help you?"

"We're just here to drink," Nami smiled warmly, leaning over a bit to meet his eye level. "Is that okay?"

"Y-yes, of course! Um, that's what people come here for, so…" he laughed nervously, grabbing some clean glasses from the counter behind him. "We're kind of famous for our ale. Not much else, though. And we only have one kind, so... You know, actually, this place is pretty terrible..."

"That's fine by me." Nami grinned, giving him a reassuring thumbs up.

"Okay... Ah, and I'm sorry about the lack of seats. We're usually not even remotely busy, but two separate pirate crews showed up on the island today and decided to come here... What a coincidence, r-right?"

"We'll just stand," Law shrugged. "Doesn't really matter."

"Listen," Nami started, turning her full attention to the waiter. "I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something."

"Oh, I'd love to be of service... What is it?"

"You see, I seem to be separated from my crew. This man right here and I woke up on this island with my friends nowhere to be seen. Have you heard mention of the Strawhat ship around here, by any chance?"

"Oh geez, I'm so sorry… w-what a terrible fate. But, well," he sighed and turned his gaze to glass he was polishing. He seemed almost irregularly apologetic; Nami was almost certain she saw a tear in his eyes. "I wish I could help you, but I can't yet. Please forgive me."

"...Yet?"

The boy's eyes shot up, and Nami was almost certain she heard him curse under his breath. "U-uh… erm, sorry, I have to go!" And with that, he ducked into the back room and out of sight.

"Well," Law grumbled, leaning idly against the counter. "That was pretty questionable."

Nami let out a frustrated groan, and hastily threw back the filled glass in her hand, then one of the glasses in front of him before he had the time to object.

"Huh. You can really knock them back… And here I thought you were just a kid."

"Obviously I'm not," Nami pouted, but let it go when he cracked a smile. "I've been drinking for ages, though. Built up a tolerance, I guess."

"How long?"

She looked down at the glass in her hand, swirling around the bit of leftover liquid in the bottom. "Maybe… ten years? Ever since I became a pirate, I guess. It was sort of mandatory, y'know?"

"Mandatory even for a child?" He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward against the counter. "Interesting." He didn't really know much about her past, but the implication that she'd been an outlaw for such a long time was somewhat surprising to him. If he recalled correctly, she was twenty, which would have meant she'd spent literally half of her life as a fugitive. Definitely not a rookie like the newspapers liked to imply. Not that they were ever right about anything, anyway.

"Yeah. Arlong was a complete degenerate, even for a pirate. You wouldn't believe the sort of things he made me do."

"What was a ten year-old girl doing with a bunch of vile fishmen, anyway?" He'd always just assumed that someone like her had been brought up… well, better than that. But fishmen? You'd never know it by looking at her.

She shrugged, and idly twirled a lock of hair around one finger. "My childhood was a little… messy, I guess."

"Mm… we might have more in common than I thought." he muttered, downing the rest of his glass.

"You too, then?"

"Something like that. ...You know, Nami-ya, you seem like a reasonable, intelligent woman. What are you doing in Strawhat-ya's band of misfits?"

"What's with all the sudden interest?" Nami smiled a bit, setting down the empty glass for another. "I could've sworn you wanted nothing to do with me."

"What, am I overstepping some sort of boundary? If you don't want to talk, just say so." It was a bit evasive, but Nami let it slide.

"...I'm with him because he helped me. And helping him in return happens to go hand in hand with my own dream."

"To make your map of the world, right? I can see how traveling with them would work to your benefit."

"It's the best arrangement I could have hoped for. So, are you satisfied now?"

He nodded once and inhaled another full glass. She'd gotten a bit ahead of him; the counter in front of them was filling up with empty mugs quickly, and letting her win whatever imaginary race they weren't having didn't really sit well with him.

Nami was about to poke fun at him for it, but was interrupted before she could get the words out by a bump to her side and a chilled beer spilling straight onto her back. It was sticky and slightly frothing, and dripped down along her spine to her bare waist. "Hey!" she wailed, spinning around to face the culprit, bracing herself with her hands on the tabletop behind her. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Ahhh whoops, sorry about that li'l miss, my bad," the perpetrator snickered, grabbing a cloth from his back pocket. He was tall; comparable to her crew's musician in height but exponentially heavier. He inched towards her with an inebriated sort of wobble in his step and his arms stretching out towards her, similar to the way a zombie would toddle towards it's unfortunate prey. "Lemme get that for ya." Both Nami and Law's eyes widened in bewilderment as his hands snaked around her on both sides to rub the filthy rag on her skin.

"W-wait a goddamn minute; if you're going to touch me like that, you better be ready to pay up." She started, hands shaking as she gripped the surface tightly.

"Orrr else what?" he slurred, testingly running a hand along her shoulder. "Gonna scratch me, kitten? All 'm doin' is fixin' my little accident."

"I mean it; get your hands off me, or I'll maim you right here."

"Woah, there. Big words for such a cute little girl," he started, backing up a bit. "You got anyone to help you back that up?"

"Yeah, right..." She cracked her knuckles, silently wishing that whoever packed her bag could've had the foresight to pack her staff. "I don't need anyone's help to deal with a filthy no-name like you."

"Ohhh, is that right? Hey, boys," he laughed, grabbing her forearm in a vice grip. "Sounds like this chick's gonna fight me alone; how about it?!"

Alone? The word flipped a switch in Law; in an instant he went from annoyed to infuriated. He lifted one hand to his usual battle-ready position, and shattered a glass mug on the edge of the table with his other. And suddenly the grotesque man was screaming in pain, broken glass shards protruding gruesomely from his sweaty hand where Nami had been.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Law complained much more emphatically than his normal tone, his outstretched fingers twitching slightly. His voice reverberated off the walls, silencing the room save for the nasty, blubbering cries of his hapless victim. "You fucking scrubs should pay more attention to your surroundings."

"I didn't need you help." Nami frowned, squirming a bit under Law's grip as his arm around her tightened.

"A simple 'thank you' would be sufficient," he shifted his gaze from her to the drunk man's crewmates. "Are we finished with this shit, or does someone want me to replace their intestines with glass next?" They glanced at one another, dazed, before high-tailing it from the building, and out of Law's realm of influence. Without paying for their drinks, he noted.

In the corner opposite them, an old man broke the awed silence, doubling over in laughter as he slapped the table. "How di' that asshole not notice the Surgeon of Death starin' him in the fucking face the whole time? Imbecile piece of shit, I tell ya what!"

And then, on cue, the room was booming again, exploding with laughter and the clinking of glasses against one another. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all.

"...You alright?" Law asked languidly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she flashed him a reassuring grin, subconsciously leaning into his side a bit. "That guy's just lucky he didn't get any on my hair..."

"Ey, someone get the poor girl a drink still in an actual fucking glass, yeah?" called another voice near the old man.

"I don't think so," Law started, frowning down at Nami. "You've had enough. And we probably shouldn't waste any more money."

"Oh, come on. I think I know my limit," Nami sauntered over to the table of older gentlemen in the corner and sat down cutely. "Besides, do I look drunk to you? Sit down and let these kind, enticing gentlemen treat us." She flashed a hidden smile at him, winking in such a way that made him hesitate.

So he stayed quiet and complied, resting her backpack in his lap as he sat watching from the next table over. At first he'd been puzzled, unsure as to what she was up to. But it only took him a few moments to catch on; she was hustling them. All of them. It was pretty entertaining, watching her gain control over the pack of thirsty old men; she let them have the feeling of dominance, beefing it up over a gorgeous girl they only knew from the wanted posters. But all of them were wrapped around her thin, thieving fingers. Every time the light caught her innocent eyes the right way, they'd run a hand along her soft skin; and she'd lean into their hard bodies, feigning intoxication to slip a hand in their back pocket. Her warm, adorable laughter was more than enough to distract them all from her pilfering. They were too drunk and aroused to really, truly pay attention to her.

He watched her for what felt like eons, smooth talking her way to practically every wallet in the house. A few times, the men from other tables would approach him to strike up some pointless conversation about fighting or booze or whatever, but he would simply cast them back in her direction. Unless, of course, they came across as too scummy; then he'd stare them down until they left on their own accord.

In a weird sort of perverse way, he was almost like her wingman.

"At least I'm doing a pretty good job…" he muttered to himself, resting his chin in his hands with a tired sigh.

"Hey Boss, we were s'pposed to head back out a while ago!" A guy from the back of the group called. Law perked up a bit; head out? Sounded like they were finally getting ready to go.

"Nami-chan, you should come back wit' us!" Another rough voice chimed in.

"Oh, I'm sorry guys," she bit her lip, putting on her best wistful expression. "I'm actually on a suuuper hot date right now, so I can't leave."

"Oh ho, that's about what I thought," he laughed and patted her shoulder with a firm hand. "Well us old folks can't stop young love, ain't that right guys?" They nodded in agreement, nudging the perplexed, slightly surprised-looking young captain knowingly.

"Aye, reeled yerself in a real keeper, Surgeon."

"So that's what constitutes 'n alliance these days? Damn kids are too much, I tell ya..."

"Let us know if he betrays you, Nami-chan, we'll send his head to the government, yeah?"

"Oh, he'd never do that. Right?" she really laid it on thick, running a finger down Law's chest as he stood up.

"...Not a chance," He decided with quite a bit of reluctance to play along with her charade, setting down his last empty glass on the table to run his hand across her cheek. He'd half-expected her to retract, but instead she smiled and guided his hands to her waist. Silently cursing her for putting him on the spot, he leaned down, slowly, keeping their eyes locked in a way that was downright voluptuous. "I take my partnerships very seriously."

"Partnership, huh…?" Nami purred, draping her arms across his broad shoulders. "Is that what you're calling it?"

"Did I stutter?" He pulled her close, flaunting "custody" of what was "his" to the pilfered pirates with a trademark chilling smirk.

"Gods, someone get these fucking kids a room already!"

"We seriously gotta get outta here, men, it's gettin' real late!"

"Nami-chan, don't put out unless he earns it, a'ight? Gotta keep a guy like him on a tight leash!"

"Thanks for letting us old folks have some fun with your girl, Surgeon; she's a real treasure, that one!"

Nami choked back a snicker and nodded politely, waving as the the lot of them made their way out the door in a loud, disorganized cluster of inebriation.

"Well, that was fun," she grinned, nonchalantly fixing her hair as she spoke. "Thanks for keeping up with me. They didn't suspect anything."

"You didn't really give me a choice in the matter, to be fair."

"Mm..." she shrugged in response and scanned the remaining crowd carefully. "We need to get out of here before anyone notices a lack of weight in their pockets. So, what's next?"

"Jokes aside, we actually should look for a place to stay, unless you're planning on roughing it on the streets tonight."

As if on cue, the waiter boy appeared again. He blushed a bit and looked away when Law's piercing eyes met his. "Um, hey again, c-can I get you two anything else?"

"We're just about to leave," he responded plainly, dropping a decidedly disproportionate stack of bills into the boy's hands. Some to cover their costs, and some to cover the group he'd chased out earlier. "Mind telling me where a visitor can get some rest in this town?"

The boy sputtered incoherently for a moment, eyes shifting between Law and Nami, then he nodded and gestured toward the door. "Actually, th-there's a pretty good place right across the street. Straight outside and down two doors. Tell them Maru sent you, and th-they'll give you… um, a good price..."

"Ah, thanks," As he slung the backpack over his shoulder, he gave the boy a slight nod. "Keep the change for yourself."

As Law strided towards the door, elbowing a few people in his way, Nami nodded quietly to the awestruck waiter, slipping him a sizable tip of her own from the stack of money she'd pocketed from the others. She knew firsthand that the remaining patrons would have trouble paying for their drinks later, after all, and she really didn't want to cause the poor kid too much trouble.

As they exited the building, Nami's ears had to readjust to the lack of sound; the street was just as quiet as it had been when they had left it hours ago. When the door to The Rich Minister closed, it was like they were the only to people on the whole island again; like not a single living soul existed within a hundred miles of them.

"Do you want me to get a separate room?" Law asked as they made their way across the street.

"What, and waste the money I worked hard to get?" she pouted, thumbing through the cash she'd extracted from the stack of wallets now in her possession. "I don't think so. This might have to last us a while."

"Fine, suit yourself. But don't expect me to sleep on the floor just because you're feeling stingy." Honestly he'd been hoping she'd give that answer; leaving her alone, even if only for the night, would have done a number on his nerves.

He shoved open the door to the place the boy had suggested, and they were met with an unbelievably dark, frigid room. It had a counter to the right, which held a single dimly-lit lamp and a stack of papers. Behind the counter was a woman in thick-rimmed glasses and a dress that could only be described as homely. She stared at them, motionless, as they approached the table.

"We're looking for a place to st-" Nami started, but was cut off when the lady whipped her hand up to point at a board behind her. It had the listed rates per night, along with a line of nails with keys hanging from them. There were only two missing out of twenty or so. "...Ah, got it." She counted out a few bills and placed them carefully on the counter. The lady, without moving her fish-like eyes from the two of them, reached back for a key and set it on the counter. Law picked it up before Nami had the chance, and promptly spun on his heels to head towards the stairs.

"Hey, wait up..!" Nami called after him in little more than a whisper, as if anything louder would be dangerous somehow. But he only glared over his shoulder, silently telling her to catch up on her own.

When they were upstairs and down the hallway, he finally slowed down a bit.

"What's with you?" Nami grumbled, tugging on his sleeve a bit to make sure he didn't rush off again.

Shoving the key into the door, he let out a heavy sigh. "It's probably nothing. But… don't go downstairs without me, alright? In fact, don't go anywhere without me."

"Um… okay, wasn't planning on it," she raised an eyebrow puzzledly. "But do you mind telling me why, exactly?"

"Like I said, it's probably nothing."

"...Alright, fine, forget I asked. Just don't run off like that again." Nami conceded, making a mental note to pester him about it again later.

He gave her a look of mild doubt, then shoved the door open, leaving both the hallway and their argument in his stead. Upon entering their room, however, he was fairly impressed. Everything looked spotless, like it had been maintained without use for ages. The lights worked, the bed was kept, and the carpet was completely devoid of questionable stains or cuts. He'd been expecting something far worse.

They settled into the room rather quickly. Nami sat down on the bed with a content sigh, and pulled out her mapping sketchbook to glance over. Even though they'd gotten almost nowhere in regards to locating her crew, at least she'd been able to survey a lot along the way. She'd also managed to get a couple notes on the island's weather patterns from the friendly group they'd spoken to at the bar; nothing terribly out of the ordinary, but at least enough to start with.

"Is your work always that detailed?" Law asked, tugging off his hat and running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"I guess so, but these sketches should be copied onto some parchment when I have the chance. They're definitely not finished."

"...You know, you should join my crew someday. Your work ethic is refreshing."

She paused, then shook her head and set the book down. "Sorry, but there's no way my crew would let you take me."

"Mm… yeah, I'm aware. They're helping you with your dream, right?"

"Well, dreams aside, they're still like my family. I know you don't like them; I mean, they're completely insane, so the feeling is warranted. But... they're really amazing people. I like being with them."

Law frowned for a moment then sat down next to her. The bed creaked slightly under his weight. "Nami-ya… let me clue you in on a little secret. I'm not quite as brute or resentful as you might think. I like your crew. In a way."

"Yeah, I know," she grinned, laying back on the mattress with her arms behind her head. "I mean, deep down. Deep deeeep down I know you're a good guy."

"...Oh yeah?"

"Yup."

They sat in silence for what felt like the millionth time that day, just staring at the yellowed walls until Nami rolled onto her side with a sigh.

"Hey, so… What do you think that doctor guy meant when he said we should leave before tomorrow?"

Law raised an eyebrow, caught off-guard by the seemingly out of nowhere question. "He was just trying to be threatening. I'm sure it didn't really mean anything." Silence. Her face told him she didn't buy it. "...Don't worry about that right now. You need to get some rest."

"I'm not tired. I'm drunk."

"Wow, what a surprise," he muttered, rolling his eyes. He felt a little inebriated as well, but she didn't need to know that. "You should drink some water." She made a muffled sound of what he assumed was agreement, so he staggered to his feet and wandered over to the bathroom. The door was already wide open and the light was on, but it didn't look like anyone had been there recently. The sink had a few cups stacked next to it, and a pile of unused soap in the corner. To his surprise, it was spotless aside from a few cracks in the porcelain; the rifts on the counter hinted that the building was a lot older than Law had originally thought. Another mystery to add to the stack, he figured.

Grabbing a cup off of the stack and sticking it under the faucet, he caught a regrettable glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked about as dead as usual, but the glassy haze in his eyes from the alcohol made him look like a complete and utter mess. Setting the cup aside, he leaned over and splashed his face with the cold water in a futile attempt to dispel the flushed tint from his cheeks. But even after towel drying his face and blinking a few times, his reflection still looked like a sorry excuse for a living person.

"You still in there?"

"Where else would I be?" he called back, grabbing the cup of water with an inward sigh. As he wandered back into the bedroom, he closed the bathroom door behind him.

"Er, thanks," Nami took the cup from his hands and took a tentative sip. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." he answered simply, tugging off his shirt and collapsing onto the bed in one swift motion.

Nami immediately averted her eyes, focusing fixedly on the cup in her hands. "You're not going to go to sleep right now, right?"

"Yup."

"But then I'd have to sit up by myself…"

"Or you could join me, like a sensible person."

"Fine… but I need to borrow this." Nami declared as she swiped his shirt from the floor and stumbled behind the bathroom door.

"Who said you could?" Law grumbled, sitting up in mild frustration. But she didn't offer him a response; the silence was filled with only the rustling of fabric and running water until she finally reappeared sporting his shirt, and… was she still wearing her shorts? He couldn't quite tell; the shirt was long enough on her frame to cover them if she was. As she sauntered back towards him, the shirt rode up her leg a bit, then back down, then up again, then down again; but never quite far enough to tell what was still underneath.

"Geez, don't stare," she grumbled, settling back onto the edge of the bed with a huff. "I had to get that one jerk's beer out of my clothes, and they won't be dry until morning. Would you rather I go naked?"

"That would be… irrational," he muttered, leaning back again. "Keep it on. It looks nice anyway." God, was that an understatement. Maybe it was just the alcohol clouding his judgement, but something about her wearing his clothes was disturbingly enticing. And disregarding the result of their previous conversation about her defecting to his crew, he really did like the way his insignia looked on her. She wore it well.

"Wait, are you... getting off on this? So you do have some sense of eroticism after all! I'm impressed."

Oh, she had no idea. She couldn't even comprehend the level of sheer unadulterated thirst suddenly growing within him. It had even taken him by surprise, but he was in no shape to argue with himself. "You know, people who mock me usually end up dead."

"Mmm, I'm pretty sure I could take you..." Nami yawned, stretching out next to him a few inches away. He couldn't help but notice as the shirt hiked up her thighs, that she was, in fact, not wearing shorts anymore. "Man, now that I'm so comfy it's hard to stay awake."

"All it took to make you tired was a clean shirt?"

"That, and all that walking around today just hit me like a truck," she groaned. "Today was rough."

"Well, tomorrow probably won't be much better. You'll be able to keep up, right?"

She nodded in response, hugging the pillow on her side of the bed to her chest quietly; and that blessed shirt of his, being so loose on her, rode all the way up to her nose as she did so. Law noticed her eyes flutter shut after a moment, and her breathing deepened. Was she… taking in his scent? She was blushing, there's no way he was imagining it. She let out a content sigh, squirming a bit and hugging the pillow closer.

"...Alright." Having seen all he needed, and feeling more than a little stunned, he leaned past her to shut off the bedside lamp. The room became dark, but the moonlight through the window illuminated the room well enough that Law could still make out the expression of his companion. She looked fatigued, but totally relaxed; he'd honestly been expecting her to be uncomfortable with their arrangement in the end, but she seemed to be completely fine with lying next to him. In fact, she seemed completely unaffected by his presence, save for the blush tinting her cheeks.

After a long pause, he asked, "...Do my clothes really smell that good?"

"W-what? How would I know?!" she stuttered, quickly hiding her face in her hands. Almost immediately, he reached up to tug her hands back down. The moment he could make out her expression again, her eyes shifted nervously between his and their half-interlocked fingers. "...Did I say you could hold my hand like that?"

"You sure didn't seem to have a problem holding hands a few hours ago."

"Well, I mean, that was different…"

"...Hm. You sound anxious all of a sudden," Law started with a passive smirk, delicately letting her hands go. "Is something bothering you?" She didn't respond, only tensing a bit and avoiding his gaze. Her hands had drifted back to the pillow, holding it tightly; as if the squishy cushion was some sort of life preserver. The atmosphere between them, albeit gradually, was beginning to shift to something very different; but for whatever reason, he didn't have much of a problem with it.

Without warning, he tore the pillow from her hands and threw it to the ground; the bed creaked and groaned and then he was on top of her, the fire in his eyes a mixture of annoyance and appetite. "That's awfully hypocritical of you. If I touched you the same way you made me back there, would you object to that too?"

"...I'm not sure." Even in the dark, the redness on her face was profoundly obvious.

"Mind if I experiment to find out?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "...Go ahead." So, as he'd done no more than an hour or so ago, he shifted to caress her cheek with the back of his fingers. He hadn't really noticed it in the heat of the moment before, but her skin was surprisingly soft. Her eyes drifted shut as his hand trailed along her jawline and back, then opened as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So what's the verdict here?"

"I don't hate it," she grumbled, leaning her head into his fingers. Listlessly, her arms slipped over his shoulders. "But you're barely even touching me, so it's sort of hard to tell."

The voice in the back of his mind told him it would be best to stop while he was ahead, to count his blessings and just go to sleep, but he couldn't. His thumb guided her chin back towards him, and his eyes scanned her face for any sign of apprehension. But as her arms retracted and she cupped his face in her hands, he was reassured that he knew exactly where this was headed. Half leaning and half pulling her forward, he kissed her, softly at first, then exponentially more feverishly as fell into him. She responded almost immediately, and a low growl of satisfaction hummed past his lips. She tasted of hesitancy and curiousness; and her fingers, which had ended up knotted in his hair, trembled as he leaned away. "...That was new."

"Why are you doing this now? It seems... really sudden..." She sounded out of breath as she spoke.

"This could be our only chance," The bed creaked as he shifted to nudge his knee between her legs. "Didn't you say something similar earlier..?"

"Yeah, but that was different! Our objective depended on us finding someone to talk to, so it really could have been our only chance. It was important."

"Has it occurred to you that, perhaps, my objective may differ from yours?"

A long, long pause. "What?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, getting back to your ship is on the top of my list. But," he leaned down towards her ear as he spoke. "Don't think that's my only goal, here." Grazing his fingertips along her exposed stomach, he couldn't help but smile a bit when she let out a quiet gasp.

He'd been expecting a quick, witty line in response, but the navigator was silent. The way she looked at him, god, he could barely stand it. Her eyes were half-lidded, and her sleek, beautiful hair that cascaded along her curves was a mess because of his own hands; he was sure he could take credit for the flushed tint on her cheeks, as well. Her magnificent body, laid out so gracefully under his, was an unparalleled sight. Law wondered briefly just how many men out there would die to take his place if given the chance. Probably a lot. He could certainly name a few.

Subconsciously her hands drifted to her chest, slowly, to tug the shirt over her head. But his fingers darted out, catching hers gently before forcing her hands back onto the mattress. "Keep it on." She nodded, squirming a bit under the pressure of his grasp.

He knew that really, truly, he could never have her. But maybe being stranded together was a gift to him from the gods; a blessing in the form of at least one night alone together. He would take it. In a world plagued with chaos and hazard, one uninterrupted night was more than he could ask for. Or, at least, this is what he would tell himself as his stomach churned over her mystified expression. He just wished he knew what had gotten into him.

"What's the matter?" she asked, sitting up when he paused.

"Oh, nothing," he shook his head and nonchalantly pulled her into his lap. "I was just thinking that you look hot when your hair is messy."

"And whose fault is it that I'm like this?"

He snorted and cracked a smile, and they were wrapped up in each other again. Their actions shifted from tentative to amorous; now certain that he didn't need to hold back, Law let his hands roam further. He sunk his fingers into her hips before dragging his lanky fingertips down her bare thighs.

He tugged suggestively at the hem of her panties, pulling until the elastic snapped back on her skin. "These look great on you, by the way. Sexy as hell."

Nami shivered, trying with all her might to keep from melting into a puddle at his hands. "Flattery coming from you is kind of scary…"

"Thank you."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment!"

But the argument was lost to quiet moans and the sound of skin brushing against skin as they continued. Law let out a deep growl as she gave an experimental grind, bending in to bite at her neck with renewed vigor.

"Nngh, Law..." His name poured from her sultry lips like dirty water from a pure gold chalice as he licked down to her collar bone, tugging her hips down against him. His insides twisted when he registered the use of his given name; it brought him back to reality, just long enough to fully realize exactly how much he wanted her.

Then BAM. The moment was shattered by an incredibly loud thud against their window.

"What the hell was that?"

"It sounded like someone threw a rock..."

"Whatever, doesn't matter," he leaned back in, grazing his lips along her jawline. Her quiet moan, however, was swiftly drowned out by the loud vibrations brewing far below them. "God, what now? An earthquake?"

"No! This isn't an earthquake..." She shook her head, tensing under his grip as the walls around them began to tremor.

"Then what the fuck is it?!"

"I don't know!"

"Oh, for the love of-… Okay, we need to get out of here before the building collapses," he sighed in frustration, helping Nami to her feet while she regained her composure. "Here, take these," he told her, handing her the boxers he'd been wearing until a moment ago as he pulled his jeans back on. "I can go without them; you need to cover up."

She nodded and hastily put them on, rolling the waistband a few times to make them a bit smaller. They were still loose, but she supposed it would be better than running around in her own decidedly more provocative underwear for any extended period of time.

"Keep close, got it?" He slung her backpack over his shoulder, and gave her one last look before shoving open the door. She snatched his hat off of the desk in the corner before following after him.

He was thankful for the lack of decoration in the hallways; even with the violent shaking, there was nothing askew to block his path. They made their way downstairs to the lobby quickly with no trouble. Law couldn't help but notice that the woman behind the counter had disappeared, leaving the two of them completely alone. Somehow, the room seemed a little brighter without her in it, though the only light source was still just the lamp on the desk.

As his hand made contact with the door to shove it open, the rumbling ceased; the silence hung heavily on his ears. ...Was it over, whatever "it" was? It'd ended as abruptly as it had begun. Looking at each other in bewilderment, she clutched the hat to her chest and shuffled out from behind him.

As the door opened to the world outside, Nami's knees buckled and she sunk to the ground. Her eyes, filled with dread and confusion, shifted to Law's as she tried to form some semblance of a coherent sentence. "What... How? W-why?!"

Whatever was left of his composure was fading fast.

Beyond the inn's doorstep, in the darkness of the night, the town around them was nowhere to be found. Instead, the two were met with grassy hills, and familiar rock pillars as far as the eye could see.

* * *

That's it for chapter two.

How was it? Are things becoming clearer yet, or more strange? Chapter three should be ready soon!


End file.
